Cybelline knew something had changed the moment she pulled the tower into her realm. It was as if her mind had expanded, there was so much more she could think and do, she was no longer bound by the meager rules of human thought. How did she know that? And why was she so certain?

After everything that had happened, she was so tired. She had never done so much in so little time she felt like a battery that's slowly being recharged.

In the blissful darkness she laid back and thought about her current world.

Everything was surrounded in so much mystery, she felt that the more involved she became, the larger the tangle grew. She wanted to know.

She was floating for what seemed like an eternity, there was no body to tie her down anywhere in the vast ether of time and space, no point of reference for home.

What was home? She didn't know where she belonged, even when she was an assassin, she floated in the wind, a ghost amongst the living. And then she was pulled into this strange new world without any explanation, with a conflict that she wanted no part in. But try as she might, she found herself stepping deeper and deeper into the murky waters with no direction.

I want to know what had happened in this world, why I was brought her, she thought.

As soon the thought took shape, she felt a gentle pull on her consciousness. Like the warmth of sunlight in the early hours of the morning, it made her want to follow, to chase after it.

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Cybelline watched the scene below with mild interest. She had followed the light until she floated to an unfamiliar road on an unfamiliar land. She seemed to have arrived in a grand city that spanned as far as the eye could see, the proud and intricate parapets stood guard over the maze of the city, each building so close that the neighbors could climb from one house to another. Learned men and women gathered in the corners to discuss politics under the cool shade of grape vines while children ran from one street vendor to another.

Cybelline had first tried to communicate with the people but found that no one could see her. She felt a pull to one of the roads and followed it to watch the seen unfold. It was as if she was a ghost.

A young man lay on the road, his hair and face covered in mud, his eyes full of stubbornness as the well dressed man above him aimed a kick on his stomach. The young man gritted his teeth and was about to fight back when...

A teenage girl stood in front of him, her eyes ablaze with anger.

"What right do you have to kick him?" She demanded. Though she was short little thing, her fury made her ten feet tall.

The man looked down and hmphed, "He blocked the road of the Queen to Be. Dirty human scum." The man's elfin ears were visible as he pushed his cap slightly upward.

The girl's eyes narrowed, "She is not queen yet, just an elf who seduced the old king and then the crown prince."

The elf's mouth fell open and he raised his hand, red flame shot up. The girl didn't even frown but a slight nod of her head sent the man flying. The other guards gasped, how could this little human girl be so powerful?

She turned around and knelt beside the youth, "Are you alright?" The young man looked into his eyes as if he was dazzled, he shook his head and then nodded.

The girl smiled, "I'm Kyria, my valet will take you and clean you up"

"I wondered who would be so bold in my presence." A woman whose voice was as sweet as windchimes came out of a grand carriage.

She was a vision of beauty, her black hair falling artlessly around her alabaster skin, a mouth that would put rose petals to shame was set on a face that could bring any man to his knees, was twisted in a sneer. She wore the clothes of Fae, shimmering glossy clothes that made her look as if she was a mirage. She looked at the teenage girl.

"Lady Kyria, it seems that I run into your family everywhere I go."

Kyria grinned, unaffected by the staggering beauty that seemed to make everyone stop in their wake, "Lady Nura, your immense beauty precedes you." Upon hearing this, the woman seemed to straighten up in pride.

Kyria continued as if she did not notice, "My house, House Kandroc is one of the oldest family in Jurhan. Perhaps you should learn some human manners, if you are going to marry into the royal family. For example, if you want to become Queen, then you need the support of the grand vizier."

"Who happens to be your father." The woman's voice was sharper now, with barely concealed anger. She knew this little brat would not compliment her for nothing.

Kyria smiled sweetly, "Yes."

She looked at the young man, who had been helped up by her valet. He nodded thanks at her. She tsked, "I don't know what would happen if my father knew that a foreign princess attacked a citizen of Juran. I wonder how fit she would be to rule?"

Whispers of citizens sounded as they pointed at the Fae lady.

She sighed dramatically, "Haven't you been here a ten years already? It seems you need more time to learn our customs. Maybe another ten years before you marry into the royal family? Or perhaps we should send you back to the Fae and Folk. Isn't there a civil war going on? I wonder if they look kindly on a princess who was to marry a king went home in shame."

Nura wanted to strangle the little brat in front of her, instead, she looked at the muddied youth, "Apologies." She spat out, turned, and walked back into her ornate carriage.

Kyria turned to the youth, "How did you step in that pile of manure?" pointing to the departing Lady Nura.

The young wiped the mud from his face to reveal a glittering pair eyes. For some reason, she felt the back of her ears go red. He straightened and bowed to her, "Thank you lady. I'm a captain of the King's guard, I had just finished a mission when I ran into Lady Nura's guards"

Kyria bit back a smile, "Next time that happens, just punch your way through, no one would mind."

"Only you would dare, my lady." Her valet muttered underneath his breath. Kyria only smiled.

"Don't worry, I was able to catch the criminals. I was just so happy that I didn't watch where I was going." The young man smiled back at her. In his eyes she could see a dreamlike quality, those were eyes of people who tended to excel at their jobs but have little common sense.

What she didn't notice, was that if not for all the mud, his pink ears would give away how he felt now talking to this beautiful girl.

"Lady, your brother is back from the border and your father wishes that you come home." An attendant bowed to her.

Kyria gave the man a handkerchief and said jokingly, "Don't let me see you like this, this is the last time I'm saving you."

The young man reached out a muddied hand and smiled, his teeth bright against his dirty face. Kyria felt the hot flush of a blush again and muttered, patting her cheeks, "His face is more or less a mud pie. Maybe I'm sick or had something bad at lunch to feel like this."

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The young captain returned to the palace and cleaned off the layer of grime that came with rolling in the mud. No sooner had he done that an attendant called to him, "Captain, the king requires your presence." The young captain nodded and hurried to grand hall.

The man on the seat was eighteen or nineteen. Frail, pale, and weak from hundreds of years of inbreeding, he coughed as he looked at the young captain, "Captain Sybarius, I heard that you've broken yet another case that no one else could. At this rate the Lord Procurator will have my head for allowing you to go beyond duties of the Palace Guard." Despite the gentle rebuke, the king was smiling proudly at his captain, like an older brother.

Captain Sybarius smiled and shrugged, "If your majesty would let me command an army, then perhaps I could leave the crime to the Procurator guard." The young king laughed and almost immediately started coughing blood.

A healer rushed forward to give the young king an infusion of magic. The young King, King Jayin was able to breathe once more. He looked down at his weak body in frustration. Captain Sybarius stood up, "My Lord."

King Jayin shook his head, "I am a dying man, only magic will sustain me." His smile was bitter and frustrated, "The grand vizier once again has blocked the marriage between Nura and I."

Captain Sybarius shook his head, "Perhaps he has good reason, she was after all, your father's mistress."

"Not you too." The king said bitterly, "You know how much good she could do for me. And she is the only woman whom I could ever love. She has bore me a son, and I wish to legitimize her."

"My lord the Grand Vizier is a respected gentleman who has the backing of the scholars in the city. He has many friends at court." The young captain surmised.

The King cleared his throat, "I can not let the Grand Vizier control everything, I must have my own men." He smiled at the young Captain, "I am promoting you to General of the armies to the south."

"Isn't Lord Torin Kandroc, son of the Grand Vizier already the general of the south?" Captain Sybarius asked, his frown deepening.

"And what of it? He hasn't expanded the kingdom." The King said coolly, "The Grand Vizier tells me that we should not attack but strengthen our hold on our great kingdom. That is not what I wish, and if his son will not do what I want, why should he be my general?" He scoffed, "Knowledge and learning, that is what the Grand Vizier wants me to rely on. Why would I, when the key to prosperity is magic?"

Captain Sybarius remained silent. The King sighed, "I want you to help me expand the southern border."

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"What do you mean you're no longer general, brother?" Kyria demanded her face set in anger. Lord Torin smiled and patted his younger sister's face, "Don't worry about me. It's time I came home anyway. We need to find you a husband while I have some time off."

The grand vizier smiled at his son, "Torin is right, you are past marrying age."

"I'm seventeen. That's plenty of time." The girl grumbled, she changed the subject "Who's taking your place?"

"One of king's guards. They say he came from common birth." Torin said, a flash of admiration shone in his eyes, "He must special, I know what the court is like. They would turn up their nose at anyone less than a viscount."

"I bet he's ugly as sin." Kyria muttered. Her father flicked her forehead, "Child, did I not teach you to respect officials in the court?"

"No, you call them a bunch of headless chicken who run off cliffs at the first sign of danger." Kyria retorted, "You say they're blinded by magic and greed."

"Ronim, this is what happens when you treat our daughter like a scholar, filling her head with knowledge she does not need to be a dutiful wife." A voice admonished as a graceful woman walked into the room. She was stately and graceful, her son and daughter rose and greeted their mother, who kissed her son's forehead and patted her daughter's shoulder.

"I'm going to meet with the new general tonight, to give him some information of the southern border. Father, would you like to come and meet him?" Torin asked as they settled back down on the pillows and rugs. The Grand Vizir nodded, "I would like to meet this young captain. I've heard some reports of his bravery and sense of justice. He sounds like a good man."

No one noticed the small, but mischievous, smile on Kyria's face.

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The Swan Hall was one of the grandest eating houses in the city, it rested in the middle of the lake, quietly glimmering like diamond nestled in sapphire.

Captain Sybarius looked at the water and gulped. He took a deep breath and stepped onto bridge, his hand grabbing the railing until his knuckles were white.

Finally, when he was on the other side, he breathed a sigh of relief. Inside, a serving woman in light purple chiffon bowed him into the third floor where he saw two men waiting for him.

The grand vizier was a man in his forties, his face kind and fatherly, with eyes seemed to hold an ocean of knowledge. He was known to be one of the greatest historical scholars of his generation. He smiled and stood up, greeting the youth warmly, "Captain Sybarius, I've heard of your fame for many years. Well met!"

The man to his right stood up as well, a few years older than the young Captain, he clapped the young man on the back, "Congratulations."

Sybarius smiled, he noticed the genuine affability of the young general, "My Lord, you are spoken highly by every soldier I've met as well."

"Let's do away with the My Lord nonsense. Call me Torin." The ex-general sat down and poured a cup of wine for the younger man, "I've been in the army too long to have that cultured air." He took out something from his robes, "When I heard the King wanted his own general, I wrote down a few things about the army, just a few notes about what's going on at the border and the people in the army. I have no doubt that you'll want your own people in there, but I assure you, the men there are good and will listen to whatever you tell them."

Captain Sybarius took the proffered package with an air of stunned silence, "You are too kind, many people call me Sybarius. But you are a lord while I am a commoner, I would not presume."

Torin smiled and waved off the youth's formality, "I want what's best for the country, as do my father."

The grand vizier smiled, "Young man, the King and I do not always see eye to eye. I don't agree with his reliance on the Fae and Folk, he doesn't think I should have so much power." He shrugged, "In a few years I'll retire and my family and I will go to the countryside."

"But you are the longest serving Grand Vizier!" The young captain protested, "Your father and your father's father before you have all served the king, surely if you discussed this with the king..."

"He would happily accept my resignation." The grand vizier smiled sadly, "He is too reliant on those who may not have our kingdom's interest at heart."

The captain said nothing, he was extremely loyal to the king, who was like a brother to him. The grand vizier seeing this, smiled, "Now, now, we all want what's good for the country. I came here to tell you that I know what the king wants to do at the southern border. Please tell your master, I will not oppose it, he is the King and if he wants war." He sighed, "Then war is what we will have."

They drank late into the night, Captain Sybarius felt a little lightheaded as he left the grand hall. However, the sight of water sobered him up immediately. He sighed as he stepped on the bridge. The grand vizier and Torin was long gone and he was alone. That was a good thing, he didn't want them to know he had an almost ungovernable fear of water.

It was late into the night, most of the guests had gone and the light was fading. The moon hide behind her cloudy veil and the only sound in the world was the gently lapping of water against the bottom of the bridge.

A figure stood in the middle of the bridge, small and cloaked in a thick back cloak, which was strange since it was a warm summer night.

"Captain Sybarius." the voice spoke, it wore a death mask, the beak extending almost a forearm's length.

Sybarius drew his sword, "Who are you?"

"Your worst nightmare." The voice said coldly and it drew a sword.

"Do you mind if we move to the land first and then fight?" Sybarius inquired. The figure almost dropped their sword.

"What?"

"It's just..." Sybarius cleared his throat, "I can't perform to my full potential on a bridge."

The figure growled and lunged.

On swordwork along, the figure was no match for the dashing young captain who easily bested the mystery person. It was strange, the captain never felt that the person was trying to kill him. Who was it, he wondered?

"You're good. Do you want to join the guard?" Sybarius asked, "I could teach you a few more tricks."

The little figure lunged at him, and Sybarius caught the person by the waist, "You've got a really thin waist, you should eat more."

The little figure struggled, and Sybarius frowned as the person's chest bumped into his, "Your chest has quite a bit of meat to it, perhaps you need to concentrate there. If you want, I'll teach you some good chest exercises. That should bring them down."

SMACK. A five fingered handprint landed squarely on the captain's face.

Kyria took off her mask and pointed at him, "You can do them yourself in hell, you arshole!" She raised her hand and he rose into the air and fell promptly in the lake. Kyria adjusted her shirt, her face the color of blood. She was so angry she was shaking.

She waited for the man to swim up so she could kick him back down ten more times. But when she looked for him, she saw that he was struggling in the water.

In what she could only guess was sheer stupidity or stubbornness, he flailed in the water but did not call for help. And then she realize that the man had forgotten to breathe.

"Gods, is he holding his breath...while above water?" She asked herself as she watch the man go from red to purple. She thought about leaving him there but then, cursed and dove in for the extremely handsome, but extremely stupid captain.

She dragged him by the hair up to the bank, dropping his face onto the mud with a PLOP. It was a very satisfying sound.

A few minutes later the young man came to after a violent fit of coughing. He raised his face up to look at the young woman.

Kyria looked down at the muddy face and pointed in surprise. "You! You're the man from today."

Captain Sybarius grinned, coughed, threw up some water, and then smiled at her again "Lady Kyria, we meet again." He looked at her and blushed, taking off his cloak, his hands glowed red. His coat dried within minutes, he handed it to her, "My lady, you'll get wet." Never mind she was as drenched as he was.

Kyria looked down and realized that her clothes were nearly see through. Her face was as red as his as she snatched the coat from him, "Don't look. Close your eyes." Obediently he closed his eyes.

She cleared her throat and he opened his eyes, she looked at him, and then blushed. Turning around she said, "Don't think you could win me over with that cute face. I'm still angry that you took my brother's position. I came to teach you a lesson on what would happen if you crossed my family. So do a good job at the border, don't besmirch my family name."

"I will." Captain Sybarius found that everything she said, he wanted to agree with. It was an odd feeling. Also the only word he heard was cute. He wanted to say that she was cute too but had a feeling that he would be thrown back in the water for disrespecting a lady.

Kyria felt that she had just kicked a wall, frustrated, "You owe me. I saved you twice. Tell me your name at least."

"Captain Sybarius" The youth answered.

Kyria frowned, "Your first name is Captain?"

He shook his head, "I'm sorry I'm used to everyone calling me Sybarius. My name is Jinon. Jinon Sybarius."

"Jinon." She said as if testing the sound.

He didn't realize he was grinning like a fool.

She glared at him, and he felt as if all the flowers were blooming, she scowled, "Jinon Sybarius. Don't expect it again. This is the last time I'm saving you."

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Author's Note:

Thank you for reading. Again, I LOVE all the comments and votes. As for those who are following me, thank you for the support!!!!

It amazes me that people are interested in my writing, and I'm really touched. Due to the nature of my job, I only get a few hours per week to write and even less time to communicate with everyone though I really love your comments. Seeing the responses from all you lovely, fantastic, people is the best form of encouragement.

I know I've written a bunch of notes to you but reading your comments make my day and I wish I could reply to all of you!

As for this chapter, it's my longest yet. This is part of a backstory that I wrote a long, long time ago. Funnily enough these are some of the earliest characters I've ever written, but now introduced... at chapter 46. Have a great night/day/week!